St. Martins Press

Trigger alert: This blog post contains a book review where domestic abuse is discussed

Disclosure: This is an advertisement for SheSpeaks/St. Martins Press

My reading goal this year is to read 100 news books. I’ve read 36 so far, but I’m behind by 25 books and have a lot of catching up to do. As part of that goal, I recently read the book Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris. It’s an intense, well-written psychological thriller about the lives of the perfect couple, Jack and Grace. He’s an attorney who represents battered women, Grace is a former buyer for Harrods who now paints in the perfect home she didn’t see until they arrived home from her honeymoon, where she hosts charming, perfect dinner parties, while caring for her younger sister, Millie.

I have to be in the right mood to read this type of book, and usually save them for a rainy weekend where I can drink pot after pot of hot tea while curled up under a blanket and let my heart race as I try to get to the end as quickly as possible. This one I read in small chunks. While I will do my best to not give away any spoilers, I will try and give you a heads up as to why it’s a must read, even as I found myself loathsome to finish, but couldn’t leave it sitting unread.

“The Perfect Marriage Or The Perfect Lie”

When you start reading, you’re charmed by Jack and how he met Grace by dancing with Millie. It’s one of many flashbacks in the book that share with you his charming, sensitive romantic side as he woos Grace. But you’re also instantly introduced to his need for control, and ever-present perfectionism, in the opening pages. This foreshadowing strongly resonated with me and put me on edge as soon as I started reading.

The abuse in the book is — nauseating, to say the least. Jack is, in a word, evil to his core. The mental and behavioral abuse reminded me of abuse I’ve seen family members and good friends experience, as well as clients from my days as a paralegal. (Believe me, the ironic juxtaposition of Jack representing abuse victims, while himself being an abuser is not lost.)

While I have been known to read books with violence in them, I tend to stay away from the topic. In fact, I almost emailed the company who asked me to do the review to tell them I couldn’t do it. I don’t handle the topic well, but I kept wanting to read and find out what happened, and I’m happy I stuck with the book. Karma was abundant, but it was so well written into the story that it didn’t feel trite, and the ending was immensely satisfying.

Where to find “Behind Closed Doors”

SheSpeaks’ will be hosting a #BehindClosedDoors Twitter Party on August 9 at 2pm ET. Participants will have the chance to win Behind Closed Doors prize packs and chat with the author & other book lovers about summer reading and the book of course! Participants must RSVP to be eligible to win. RSVP here: bit.ly/2aNwFru

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Meet Lisa

Lisa Frame is an over-achieving Southern gal with a knack for Pinterest and making people laugh. She writes about life, food, culture and travel. Lisa is a very amateur photographer, voracious reader, wanna-be neat freak, and closeted crafter.